School Boy Heart
by bushlaboo
Summary: Prompt Response. Olicity au where Felicity teaches Connor in kindergarten and she meets Oliver requested by anonymous.


_**School Boy Heart**_

It started with _Kindergarten Cop_. The elderly – well at least she'd seemed ancient to Felicity at the time – neighbor her mother left her with so she could work nights at the casino was a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and she'd been too young for _Terminator_ films, so she spent many an evening watching his more family-friendly films like _Kindergarten Cop_ , _Twins_ , and _Jingle All the Way_ \- that film made her particularly relieved to be Jewish.

The first time she saw the film had been a few days after her sixth birthday and seeing John Kimble be so protective of and vested in his young charges had stirred something inside her. She wanted to be that, a guiding light in young lives. Someone who could make a difference, not just teaching rudimentary facts and figures, but proving kids with a solid base; because Felicity knew what it was not to have one, having lost hers the day her father abandoned them.

Though she had other interest and aptitudes, her college computer science professor had told her she could be teaching most of his classes, she majored in early childhood development with a psychology minor before seeking her teacher's certificate. She'd graduated young and at the top of her class, and had been headhunted by the most prestigious private schools in the country.

Having been a public school student Felicity had her heart set on returning to her roots, though not to Vegas. She loved her mother but being away at college hammered home the fact that their relationship did better with a little distance - at least a five hundred miles - and two or three visits a year.

She'd interviewed at half dozen schools, deciding on Starling City because it was a district that was finally on the upturn after years of struggle and was open to innovative thinking to engage their student population; it was also the perfect distance from Vegas. Close enough not to kill their bank accounts to visit but far enough away that the number of visits would not increase because of ease.

In the year she'd been living and teaching in Starling the city had become her home. She loved the quaint brownstone she lived in, it was five blocks from the school she taught at with a park she liked to jog in on the weekends nearby and the best coffeehouse in the city, Java Jolt, on the way to work. Her fellow teachers were amiable and her first class of students had been a joy. So much so she had teared up on their last day because she'd miss them, even the Marcus girl who'd been such a brat at first. It had been a challenge reaching her, one that had taken half the year before she finally got through to the girl. When she had it felt like one of great accomplishments of her life. Felicity had already spoken with her new first grade teacher so the progress she made would not falter.

Felicity had been looking forward her new batch of students and the challenges they'd bring. What she hadn't expected, what no one had warned her about, was the possibility of being utterly charmed by a student. Connor Hawke-Queen was an outgoing, intelligent young imp with sandy hair and wise hazel eyes. He was always the first to volunteer, stepped in if another student was being bully, and was genuinely funny. It was difficult to admit, but the truth was she'd gone soft on him. After a month of teaching her new class Felicity found she had a favorite. It had never happened before. In all her volunteering and training she had come to care about all the kids she worked with, but there had never been one she'd singled out before.

She managed not to show him preference but it was hard sometimes fighting the urge to ruffle his hair or give him a little squeeze like she did with her neighbors kids. In fact, she'd been tempted to reach out to Connor's parents because Peter and Wendy - Cindy was a huge J.M. Barrie fan - were a year older and a year younger respectively and she knew they'd get on. She hadn't of course. It would be crossing a line from professional to well _not_. It was one thing to enjoy and inspire her students; it was another to want to inject herself into their lives. Though it hurt some she maintained her professional distance, teaching and treating Connor like all her students. Or at least she thought she had.

The Friday before they spent the day on various craft projects, making decorations and valentines for their classmates for their party Monday afternoon. Felicity spent her Sunday baking cookies and had come in early Monday morning to get the last of their decorations hung. She had been getting their daily lesson written out on board, fun and appropriate things they could learn about the holiday, its origins, and its significance when a familiar voice shyly called out, "Miss Smoak."

She turned, red pen in her mouth, chalk in hand to find Connor clutching a bouquet of flowers with a Batman balloon – she knew Batman was his favorite because he dressed like the Cape Crusader for Halloween and at least twice a week wore something Bat related. His other had was tucked into the hand of the man standing next to him and the older version of Connor had the most ridiculously large heart-shaped box of candy under his arm.

Felicity knew her young student was waiting for a response of some kind but she was overwhelmed by the picture they made. Connor was a beautiful boy, but the man with him was downright gorgeous. Tall, broad-shouldered with perfectly groomed stubble over a chiseled jaw with bluest eyes she had ever seen. The word handsome didn't do him justice and Felicity knew she was gawking but she couldn't stop. She thought it was impressive that her jaw hadn't dropped and she wasn't drooling.

She blinked and they were still standing there when her eyes opened. Not a mirage then. Connor shuffled his feet nervously and that finally spurred her into action because she'd never seen him that way. "Good—" she started to greet, but the word was garbled around the pen. Embarrassed she felt pink stain her cheeks. In a quick move she placed the chalk on the shelf along the blackboard and tucked the pen behind her ear and started again, "Good morning Connor."

He beamed up at her and she noted that his loose front tooth had finally fallen out over the weekend. "Happy Valen's Day," he replied moving forward, and once again she found his incomplete pronunciation adorable, and the missing tooth added a slight lisp. Connor stopped just shy of her and held the flowers up and out, offering them to her.

Felicity felt her eyes go wide behind her glasses. Delighted by the gesture and the child in front of her she instinctively took the bouquet from him and lifted it up so she could inhale their scent. "Thank you, Connor."

His little chest puffed out, "You're welcome." The smile across his face grew wider as he offered the balloon.

Felicity hunched down, so she could be eye level with the boy. "Are you sure? Batman is super cool and balloons are awesome."

He bit his lower lip and nodded. "For you," he insisted shoving the ribbon into hand. She gazed up at the balloon, "Best gift ever," she told him and he preened a little more before remembering he had one last gift for her.

"Dad," he scolded waving his father forward. "The candy."

Holding back a chuckle, Felicity rose from her crouched position and looked directly into Oliver Queen's eyes, which was a mistake because looking at him from a distance had already short-circuited her brain and up close he was prettier.

It didn't dawn her that the gorgeous man in front of her was gazing back at her until Connor nudge his hip. "You're supposed to give her the candy."

"Right, of course," he huffed out a laugh and held out the box as his son instructed.

Felicity reached out to take the box and her finger brushed his, sending a jolt through her and she could feel the color on her cheeks deepening because of it. She dropped her gaze from his as she stepped back, holiday booty in hand. "This is so thoughtful Connor. I don't know how to thank you."

"A kiss."

"Con," his father warned him.

"Grammy Moira and Aunt Thea always kiss me when I give them a gift." It occurred to Felicity then that that might have been her young student's goal all along. Looking at him now she could see the adoration on his face. Connor had a crush on her and wanted a kiss.

"I … well." Flustered and torn, because she really did want to kiss his adorable little nose, she looked at the only other adult in the room for some sort of direction as she never dealt with a situation like this before.

Oliver Queen wore his son's matching smile and shrugged shoulders, "He's incorrigible. I apologize."

"No, no. That's fine. This is really so sweet and it doesn't surprise me that Connor would be so thoughtful. He's a great kid," at the comment she saw Connor frown.

"The best," Oliver concurred, grasping his shoulder. The frown didn't completely disappear from Connor's face, but he did brighten under his father's words.

Before she could over analyze her actions or the repercussions Felicity leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Connor's forehead. "Thank you."

His face went magenta and he ducked behind his father, leaving only his head in her view. "You … you're welcome," he pushed out before running to his cubby to deposit his coat and bag.

"You've just made his day and probably his week," Oliver stated. "Thank you."

"Not necessary Mr. Queen, he certainly made mine."

"Oliver."

"Um … sorry?"

"You can call me Oliver," he said and much like his son had earlier he shuffled his feet nervously. "It's good to finally put a face to the name Connor is always going on about."

It sent a thrill through her, knowing that child shed cared about so much felt the same for her. Now if only she could make her brain work in front of his father. Felicity couldn't help but be grateful now that Connor's grandmother had come in on parent/teacher night – Oliver had been out of town on business – a because she was absolutely certain she would have made a fool of herself. "It's good to know I'm making an impression. Hopefully it's a positive one."

"It is," he assured her, "positive I mean. It's not all video games and rough housing; he actually wants to read now."

"That's wonderful. I'm …" she tried to think of something intelligent or even appropriate to say but nothing came to mind. Feeling the weight of gifts in her hands she went with, "I should probably put these away before the rest of the students arrive."

"Not going to share your candy with the class?" Felicity could see the humor in his eyes, hear the teasing in his tone and felt completely out of her depth. Was he flirting with her? In any other circumstance a handsome, unattached (at least she assumed that since there was no wedding ring on his finger) man flirting with her would be nice. Really nice. But he was her favorite student's father, and said student had a crush on her. None of that was appropriate. Right?

"I baked. I mean, I made them the cookies. Healthy cookies mind you, oatmeal cranberry. I thought about going gluten free but none of the kids have allergies and I know they asked for peanut butter cookies but I'm allergic. I would have needed a hazmat suit to make them. And—"

"Felicity, I mean Miss Smoak."

"Felicity is fine. I mean, if you want me to call you Oliver you can call me Felicity." And yeah, totally _not_ appropriate but the fact that she could get actual words out of her mouth felt like a win.

He beamed down her; his smile radiated such warmth, that she felt her skin heating. "Felicity," he said her name softly, almost reverently. "Would you—"

Whatever he'd been about to say was cut off by the sounding of the bell. It was the ten minute warning to teachers, school doors would officially open in five minutes and the students would have another ten minutes to get in and make their way to their classrooms.

"I really should get these in some water."

"Of course. Happy Valentine's Day Felicity."

"Happy Valentine's Day …" she paused to remind herself not to call him Mr. Queen, "Oliver."


End file.
